Florida State requires a minimum 20-day waiting period between filing and finalizing a divorce. Some uncontested divorces are resolved as quickly as four weeks, while others can take six months or more.
The duration of the Florida divorce process mostly depends on the complexity of the case and the eagerness of the sides to commit and cooperate. Yet, no matter the invested efforts the procedure cannot be final until the mandatory Florida divorce waiting period is over. In all other cases, the divorce will last as long as necessary for the couple to come to an agreement on the core divorce issues. Check out the factors and facts about marriage termination in Florida and estimate the duration of your case easily.
How Long Does the Divorce Process Take
The marriage termination duration is closely related to the type of divorce a couple opts for. Here are the different variations of the divorce timeline Florida:
- Uncontested divorce – around 4 months;
- Simplified divorce – 30 days;
- Initially contested but later mediated process – between 4 and 6 months;
- Contested divorce – between 9 months and 3 years or more.
Every divorcee aims to get as simple and quick divorce as possible. But not everyone manages to implement the wish. The point is that you have to meet the requirements of divorce law in Florida and commit to your case significantly to get it finalized fast. For example, to appeal to simplified divorce, you have to meet residency requirements, have or/and expect no common children, come to a total divorce agreement, and wish for no spousal support from any side. Otherwise, it will be hardly possible for you to end your marriage in a month.
How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Florida
An uncontested divorce is always a preferred option for couples who can afford such a solution. An amicable divorce implies that you and your spouse are open to cooperation and eager to end your divorce in a mutually beneficial way. Then you have an opportunity to put your failed marriage to an end in approximately four months.
Uncontested divorcees must agree on all the major divorce issues covering parenting, assets and debts division, spousal support, and so on. You should expect to have at least 3 weeks of preparation and up to 4 months of the case running itself. With the need to participate in the final hearing only, there are no chances that your process will be delayed in any way. So with an experienced attorney, when you ask, “After filing for divorce how long does it take for a marriage to be terminated?”, the answer will depend on your effort and desire invested in the case.
How Long Does Online Divorce Take?
A good way to deal with uncontested divorce is to choose online services to assist you. This will cut down your preparation time and attorney-related expenses significantly. When getting divorced in Florida via the Internet, you need around an hour to fill out the forms online and file them either personally or using the official local court’s website. So, instead of a couple of weeks for preparation, you can get your forms completed and reviewed in between a couple of hours up to a couple of days. Some platforms even offer packs with filing and serving your spouse included, making the process more optimized and faster as a result.
How Long Does a Contested Divorce Take in Florida
If an amicable dissolution of marriage in Florida does not suit your situation, get ready to spend at least half a year and up to a couple of years on your case. The timeline of your marriage termination will commonly look the following way:
- Preparing for the process – 4 weeks;
- Filing for divorce – immediate;
- Serving your partner – 1-3 weeks;
- Serving an answer – up to 20 days;
- Financial disclosure – 3-9 months;
- Mediation – 4-5 months following the filing;
- Depositions;
- Preparation and trials – 5 months + 1 day (for 1 trial);
- Final hearing.
Sometimes depositions and trials are prolonged deliberately to earn the benefits for some divorcees. So, with an average of one and a half years, a complicated contested case can even last around 5-6 years.
How Long Does It Take for Divorce To Be Final
When you come to an agreement with your partner either on your own or as a result of the efficient work of the specialists you hired and local officials, your case is to be finalized. To make your divorce process final, you need your marriage termination agreement to be reviewed by a judge and approved at the final hearing. At this point there are several factors that impact the quick end of your case:
- accuracy of your docs;
- availability of the judge and courtroom;
- compliance of your divorce agreement with the local legislature and the sense of fairness of your judge.
When you wonder why your divorce takes so long, consider that you are not the only couple wishing to put your marriage to an end. Mind, that cases without attorneys involved may be delayed on the final step due to inner courthouse processes and regulations.
The divorce procedures commonly take away much time and effort to be successfully finalized. If your priority is the minimum duration of your marriage termination in Florida, try to commit to the process as much as you can. Check out whether you qualify for a simplified marriage termination. If the option doesn’t suit you, you can always choose an uncontested divorce. Then fruitful cooperation with your partner and relevant specialists will help you bring your marriage to the end quickly and up to mutual satisfaction.